Green’s replacement wants ‘Mo’ carries

By Darrell Laurant  |   Friday, June 08, 2007  |  Comments( 0 )

Green Bay Packers
Got something to say?

Sign Up and be the first to comment on this article!
Vernand Morency is not exactly the sort of name that slips easily off the tongue. Not like, say, Ahman Green.

His Green Bay Packer teammates solve the problem by calling the third-year back "Mo." And Morency's goal this season is to make Packer fans forget all about Green, the team's featured ballcarrier for the previous seven years.

Morency was traded to Green Bay from Houston for Samkon Gado in mid-September last season, which meant that he essentially went through training camp with the wrong team. He didn't know the plays and didn't know his teammates -- and when Green hurt his hamstring, Morency was fed to the Lions (and Bears, and Vikings) as the starter.

It wasn't all bad. He rushed for 99 yards against Philadelphia, 101 against Arizona, and averaged 4.1 yards a carry. But then the Oklahoma State product got hurt, and was the odd man out to Noah Herron when he returned.

Green is gone now, ironically moving to Houston as a free agent ("It's like they got two for one," Morency said). And as the Packers wrapped up their spring drills, Morency was atop the depth chart ahead of Herron, Arliss Beach, P.J. Pope, and draft picks Brandon Jackson of Nebraska (second round) and DeShawn Wynn of Florida.

Although Morency is solidly built at 5-foot-10, 220, his style last season was more dance than smash.

"He's got some shake to him," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

This time around, however, Morency has added at least five pounds of muscle and pronounced himself ready to be Ahman-like, a durable weapon between the tackles who can take the pounding. And, uh, not fumble (Green's fatal flaw for the past couple of seasons).

"I'm a beast," Mo said of his stouter physique.

Jackson would appear to be Morency's main competition, and it has yet to be determined whether the Pack will elect a featured back a la Green or form a committee.

"Nobody won a job this weekend," Philbin said at the conclusion of the most recent workouts. "There's a lot of opportunity on this team."

Morency, for his part, doesn't want to be on a committee.

"I've worked hard during the offseason to prepare myself to be the guy," he said.

That guy. What's his name.

Weekly Green Bay Packers insight, courtesy of RealFootball365.com
Got something to say?

Sign Up and be the first to comment on this article! (0)

About Darrell Laurant

Sorry, Darrell Laurant's bio is currently not available. Please check back soon!
read more
Article Tools Share!   |  RSS  |  Bleacher Report About Bleacher Report